Laying of subaqueous pipe

ABSTRACT

An elongated member has a short depending leg at one end and a pair of longer legs diverging from the other end. The pipe to be laid is suspended from the elongated member between the diverging legs. Adjusting structure is disposed on the frame to move the suspended pipe axially. Also, the structure will individually adjust vertically the ends of the pipe when the frame has been lowered to rest upon the bottom of the body of water where the pipe is to be laid.

United States Patent Wiswell, Jr.

[451 Apr. 25, 1972 [54] LAYING OF SUBAQUEOUS PIPE {72] Inventor: GeorgeC. Wlswell, Jr., 1014 Pequot Road, Southport, Conn. 06490 [22] Filed:Mar. 11, 1970 [21] Appl.No.: 18,478

[52] U.S. Cl. ..29/200 P, 29/237, 214/1 PL,

254/143, 61/72.3 [51] Int. Cl. ..B23p 19/00, 823p 19/04 [58] Field ofSearch ..254/l43;

212/133-135, 75; 29/234, 429, 200 P, 237; 214/1 PA, 1 PL; 61/72.1, 72.3,41 A [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,204,417 9/1965Robley ..61/72.3

3,267,682 8/1966 Robley ..6l/72.3 3,520,514 7/1970 Evans ..254/l43 X3,529,731 9/1970 Penny.. ..2l4/1 PA Primary Emminer-Evon C. BlunkAssistant Examiner-Merle F. Mafi'ei Attorney- Smythe & Moore [57]ABSTRACT An elongated member has a short depending leg at one end and apair of longer legs diverging from the other end. The pipe to be laid issuspended from the elongated member between the diverging legs.Adjusting structure is disposed on the frame to move the suspended pipeaxially. Also, the structure will individually adjust vertically theends of the pipe when the frame has been lowered to rest upon the bottomof the body of water where the pipe is to be laid.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 25 m2 3; e57, 786

SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR Geamn: C Maw/51. .4

n f a (f f/m ATTORNEYJ) PATENTEU APR 25 m2 SHEET 2 OF 2 INVENTOR 650/?05 CMJM'M Ji.

ATTORNEYS LAYING F SUBAQUEOUS PIPE 7 One of the problems encounteredwhen laying pipe under water, particularly large pipe, is to positionand join accurately sections thereof. The magnitude and difficulty ofthis problem is particularly apparent when laying large diameterreinforced concrete pipe wherein a section of the pipe may weight toabout 7-10 tons each. Further, the heavy sections must be accurately.laid at a depth, for example, of 50 feet on an uneven sea bed. When asection of pipe is to be laid under water, either on the sea bed or in apre-dug trench, the pipe is slung from a crane mounted on a barge andmust be manipulated into final position by a diver. This arrangement isadequate under ideal weather conditions. However, any slight movement ofthe barge causes the crane boom to oscillate which in turn causes thepipe to move considerably. Such movement of the pipe not only increasesthe difficulty of accurately positioning and joining of the pipe butalso endangers the diver.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improvedapparatus for the laying of pipe under water.

Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide anapparatus for the underwater laying of pipe which facilitatespositioning and joining of the pipe under water with respect to apreviously laid pipe section.v

According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for thelaying of pipe under water may comprise a frame having a first leg atone end and a pair of diverging legs at the other end thereof. The framemay comprise a single elongated member, and the first leg may be shorterthan the legs of the pair. Means are provided for suspending a sectionof pipe from the frame between the pair of legs. Conveniently positionedon the frame for actuation by the operator are means for moving thesuspended pipe axially and means for selectively adjusting verticallythe ends of the pipe. The pair of legs may be V-shaped so as to straddlethe pipe suspended,

therebetween, and the shorter leg may be provided with means for restingupon a pipe which has already been laid.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the accompanying description and drawings, whichare merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the apparatus according to thepresent invention with a pipe section suspended therebeneath; and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG. 1 but showing theapparatus positioned on the sea bed with respect to a pipe section thathas been previously laid.

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference symbols indicatethe same parts throughout the various views, a specific embodiment ofthe present invention will be described in detail.

As may be seen in the drawings, the apparatus according to the presentinvention is indicated generally at and comprises an elongated framemember 11 having ends 12 and 13. A leg 14 extends from the frame end 12,and a pair of legs diverge downwardly from the frame end 13 to form aV.-

The legs 15 are considerably longer than the leg 14 and form with theshorter leg 14 a tripod-like frame for suspending a pipe section. Eachof the legs 15 is provided with a telescoping end extension 16 which canbe adjustably positioned within a leg varying the length of the legs 15.The adjustability of the legs 15 is particularly advantageous when thesea bed is uneven and also compensates for the depth of the trench inwhich a pipe is to be laid.

Leg 14 is provided with a curved plate 17 which functions-as apositioning guide and rests near the end of a previously laid pipesection as can be seen in FIG. 2.

A pipe section indicated at 18 is suspended from the frame 11 which inturn is slung from a crane by a cable 19.

justed and manipulated to move the pipe as desired in order toaccurately engage the bell and spigot ends or other forms and to insurepro er leyellin of the pipe. The controls com rise a control umt 0 whicha usts the height of the outer en of the pipe section 18.

A control unit 21 controls the vertical height of the inner or matingend of the suspended pipe section. A control unit 22 controls thelongitudinal or axial positioning of the pipe toward or away from themating position with regard to the previously laid pipe indicated at 23.

'When the pipe section 18 is to be lowered and connected to thepreviously laid pipe section, the entire frame assembly 10 is loweredonto the sea bed into a position as shown in FIG. 2. The positioningplate 17 on the shorter leg 14 is positioned on the previously laid pipesection 23. The diver positions himself in the vicinity of the shorterleg 14 so that he is in a position to observe the alignment of the inneror mating end of pipe section 18 with the previously laid pipe. Byadjusting and manipulating the proper control units as described above,the diver progressively 'moves the pipe section 18 into the correctposition.

During positioning of the pipe section 18, frame assembly 10 issupported on the ocean floor independent of the platfonn supporting thecrane and is not affected by rough water conditions or current. The pipesection can be laid without any direct connection to the surface of thewater because during this period, the cable 19 from the crane is slack,and any movement of the crane caused by the sea conditions is 'nottransferred to the underwater assembly 10. This frame assembly thuspermits extremely accurate alignment of the pipe, and properly sealedjoints can be made consistently. While the apparatus is particularlyeffective under water, it can also be used in handling heavy pipes onland, such as might be used in the construction of aqueducts, sewagelines and the like.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention has disclosed a simplebut effective apparatus for the underwater laying of pipe. Thisapparatus allows the laying of pipe to be carried out under conditionswhich would otherwise be impractical and enables the pipe sections to beaccurately and precisely laid in a minimum of time.

It will be understood that various details of construction andarrangement of parts may be changed without departing from the spirit ofthe invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for the laying of a plurality of end to end andc'onnectable pipe sections underwater comprising an elongated framemember having a first generally vertical leg at one end and a pair ofindividually adjustable ground engaging legs diverging from saidelongated member at the other end thereof together forming an invertedV, said first leg being of fixed length and shorter than said pair oflegs, cable means for suspending a section of pipe from said framebetween said pair of legs, winch means on said frame for moving saidsuspended pipe section axially, winch means on said frame forselectively adjusting vertically each end of the suspended pipe section,and an arcuate positioning guide at the end of said first leg restingupon the annulus of a previously laid pipe section, providing the solesupport for said frame member at said one end, the supporting of theframe member by said legs permitting said suspended section to beaxially aligned with and connectable to said previously laid pipesection.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said winch means iscontrolled by means disposed on said frame adjacent said first leg.

1. An apparatus for the laying of a plurality of end to end and connectable pipe sections underwater comprising an elongated frame member having a first generally vertical leg at one end and a pair of individually adjustable ground engaging legs diverging from said elongated member at the other end thereof together forming an inverted V, said first leg being of fixed length and shorter Than said pair of legs, cable means for suspending a section of pipe from said frame between said pair of legs, winch means on said frame for moving said suspended pipe section axially, winch means on said frame for selectively adjusting vertically each end of the suspended pipe section, and an arcuate positioning guide at the end of said first leg resting upon the annulus of a previously laid pipe section, providing the sole support for said frame member at said one end, the supporting of the frame member by said legs permitting said suspended section to be axially aligned with and connectable to said previously laid pipe section.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said winch means is controlled by means disposed on said frame adjacent said first leg. 